Without You
by court.and.ky
Summary: Troy Bolton was known as a ladies man so why is it, that after meeting her over again, he can't seem to figure out what to do? And how will he deal with his old love interest once he's hit with something that will change him forever?
1. Trailer

**From the writers who brought you Painfully Perfect and The Cry for Help…**

**Comes a story of Friendship…**

Chad: Troy, what just happened?

Troy: Chad, please. Get me to the hospital.

**Courage…**

Chad: Come on, Troy. You can do it.

Troy: Not without you.

**Heartache…**

Gabriella: So why did you leave?

Troy: Why did you let me?

**And love…**

Troy: You know, people say that a shooting star brings your heart's desire. …Make a wish.

Gabriella: Okay. I have one.

Troy: I hope it comes true.

Gabriella: It already has. It brought me you.

**For someone who knows everything about women…**

_Troy talks to a young woman at a restaurant. _

**Troy Bolton really doesn't know much about the one he loved…**

Ryan: You know too much… How many girls have you _dated_?

Troy: One.

**Or that love can come in any package…**

_Gabriella opens her door and sees a package on her front step._

**Or in any girl…**

Gabriella: I play hard to get.

Troy: I like a challenge.

**He's about to discover the true meaning of life...**

_Troy lies lifeless in a hospital bed._

**Heartache...**

_Troy sits alone, staring at a picture of Gabriella, and begins to cry._

**Pain...**

_Troy falls to the ground, screaming and twitching._

**And how easy it is to forget someone who means so much...**

_Chad and Troy are sitting at a park bench when Gabriella approaches them._

Gabriella: Hi Troy.

Troy: Chad, how does she know my name?

Chad: Troy, that's Gabriella. You've known her since tenth grade.

Gabriella: Is something wrong?

Troy: I don't know you! Get away from me! Get away from me now!

_Troy starts sobbing and shaking uncontrollably._

**And he's about to re-discover what love does to a person…**

_Troy grabs Gabriella and pulls her into a kiss._

**And the things it makes us do…**

_Troy pulls away from Gabriella._

Troy: I can't do this.

Gabriella: What do you mean?

Troy: I mean… I can't do this _to you_.

_Troy walks out of the room._

**Zac Efron**

_Troy laughs as he and Chad walk through the park._

**Vanessa Hudgens**

_Gabriella smiles as she turns to see Troy walking towards her._

**Corbin Bleu**

Chad: Whatever it is, Troy, you can tell me.

**Without You**

**Coming Soon**


	2. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Well, here's the first chapter! Please no flames. This story takes place the summer after the first year of college, to clear up any confusion. This will be a bit humorous but it's not all going to be this way. -sigh- Don't you wish it would?**

**Chapter One**

Chad tightened his tie around his neck. Troy loosened it. "You don't want to suffocate yourself," Troy said. "It'd be nice to show up to a date alive."

"But she likes a dignified man," Chad said, trying to tighten his tie again. Troy reached out, slapped Chad's hand, and loosened it.

"Then she's dating the wrong guy."

Just then, the door burst open, revealing a very flustered Zeke. He looked from Troy to Chad and back to Troy. "Troy, seriously, I asked for help with Sharpay two weeks ago and you're helping Chad _now_! He asked yesterday!"

Troy sighed. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! But you don't even have a date yet."

"Well," Zeke said impatiently. "I _could _have one by now but you aren't helping me!" He looked angrily at Chad, jealousy filling his eyes. "That tie makes you look like a Christmas tree." He stomped out of the room and Chad looked down at his red and green tie nervously.

"I _do _look like a Christmas tree!" He moaned. He threw himself on the bed and gave a heavy sigh. "I should just cancel. I can't even get dressed without looking like a plant."

Troy walked over to the bed and stood next to Chad. "You know, Chad," He said softly. His expression changed and he climbed up on the bed, nudging Chad in the side with his foot. "Everyone has problems, so you're going to have to get over the fact you look like a tree and get your butt up to go on that date! Move it!" Chad rolled off the bed and onto the floor with a thud. He stuck his tongue out at Troy and got up.

Chad walked to his closet and rummaged through it, trying to find a pair of shoes. "Too shiny. Too ugly. What was I _thinking_ when I bought these? Weird looking. Too... well... no. They don't work." He threw each pair over his shoulder carelessly, Troy dodging out of the way to avoid the flying shoes.

"Chad, if you fling one more pair of shoes at me, I'm going to throw Pig out the window!" Troy said, holding up Chad's worn out, stuffed pig that was missing an eye and half of its tail. Chad had gotten the pig when he was two years old and had yet to get rid of it; it was a big part of his past.

Chad looked shocked that Troy would even suggest something like that and he instantly dropped the pair of shoes he was holding. "Okay, here's Pig," Troy said tossing him at Chad, who caught it and smiled. "I'll get you a pair of shoes, okay? Just calm down a little bit. You've known Taylor for years."

"But I haven't _dated _her since high school!" Chad exclaimed. "What if she thinks I'm a loser?"

"She'll be getting the correct assumption," Troy teased. Chad shot Troy a look and kept rummaging through the closet. He moaned and slammed the closet door shut with a bang just as Troy was reaching out to help him.

"I have _no _shoes!" He whined. He sat on the edge of his bed and Troy rolled his eyes, opening the door to Chad's closet.

"You have more shoes than any man I know," Troy said, his voice muffled as he shuffled through the closet. He gave a small smile. "And I know Ryan." Chad scowled and looked out the window with a sigh. Thoughts of Taylor floated through his mind but Troy's voice snapped him out of his reverie. "Here you go." A pair of shoes plopped in Chad's lap and he smiled.

"Of course you found the perfect shoes," Chad said, grinning widely. "You're Mr. Perfect."

"I'm not perfect," Troy said. "But I'm the closest thing you can get." He gave Chad a playful smile and stuck out his hand. "Come on. Let's go show Taylor what she's missed these past few years." Chad grabbed Troy's hand to help him stand up and there was a faint knock from the door. Instantly, Chad looked even more nervous than he already was. Noticing the look on Chad's face, Troy said, "For the last time, it's going to be fine! I'll get the door."

Troy exited the bedroom and approached the front door. When Troy opened the door he saw Taylor, who was wearing a just-below the knee dark blue dress and had her hair down and curly, tumbling down her shoulders delicately. "Well, don't you look gorgeous as usual, Miss McKessie."

"And aren't you the charmer, Mr. Bolton?" Taylor replied with a smile. "So where's Chad?"

"He's right-," Troy began, looking over his shoulder for Chad. But Chad wasn't there. "Hang on one moment." He ushered Taylor in and bolted down the hall, whispering, "Chad! Chad, where are you?" He listened as the door to the hall closet squeaked.

"I can't do it, Troy!" Troy heard a whisper from the closet. "I'm going to make a fool out of myself."

Troy sighed and swung open the closet door. He grabbed Chad by the shoulder and tugged him out of the closet saying, "You're hiding in a closet, Chad. I think the fool part is over and done. You need to worry about not blowing it on the date. Now go in there, tell her she looks nice, and get going to that fancy restaurant. Go!"

He pushed Chad down the hall until Chad stood awkwardly in front of Taylor. Chad gave a smile when he saw her, looking just the same as she did years ago. "Hi, Chad," Taylor said brightly.

"Um, hi, Nice. You look Taylor," Chad said nervously and then look embarrassed when he realized what he said.

"You're still the funny guy," Taylor said with a laugh and a bright smile.

Troy grinned and pushed Chad a little further forward. Chad cleared his throat awkwardly. "You want to get going? The reservations are for seven o' clock."

Taylor nodded and Chad held out his arm with a smile. He was definitely warming up to Taylor again. Taylor laughed, took his arm and they exited, both grinning happily. Troy smiled as he shut the door. As soon as he turned around, he laughed, happy that Taylor and Chad were back together. Then he heard talking in the other room. He walked over to the door to Ryan and Zeke's bedroom and listened.

"My sister?" Ryan asked, laughing. "Are you serious? My sister?"

"Yeah!" Zeke said, stubbornly. "I want to go out with your sister."

"Not going to happen, Zeke," Ryan said, shaking his head and returning to his book. Zeke gave Ryan an angry look.

"Why not?" He asked angrily. "You know that I've always liked her."

"She's my sister and I don't want to see her get hurt again," Ryan said, not looking up from his book. "She's called me crying too many times." Zeke got angrier by the second.

"You mean to tell me that you don't know me well enough to know that I would never hurt Sharpay?" Zeke asked, his voice mad but his demeanor despondent.

"Look, Zeke, you're one of my best friends," Ryan said. "But I just don't want you going out with my sister. She's just too sensitive."

"Right, and I'm definitely going to try to hurt her, Ryan," Zeke spat acidly. "Because that's the kind of guy I am, right?"

"Oh, come on, Zeke!" Ryan shouted, slamming his book shut and looking up at Zeke. "You know I didn't mean it that way!"

"Yeah, sure," Zeke mumbled. "You just meant that I'm an awful person who just wants to go out with Sharpay because she's pretty. I'm not the kind of guy that does that stuff, Ryan!"

"I wouldn't be surprised if you were!" Ryan yelled, his anger getting the best of him. Zeke looked mildly horrified and he sprung up, walking over to Ryan with menacing steps.

"I wouldn't be surprised if you never got a date considering how stupid you are," Zeke said, getting angrier by the moment. Troy decided from his spot at the door that now was be a good time to jump in. He pushed open the door and jumped towards his two friends. Instantly, he felt a shot of pain go through his jaw. Ryan's hand was still suspended in midair in the form of a fist where he had hit Troy.

"RYAN EVANS!" Troy screamed.

"Oh my gosh! Troy, I'm so sorry," Ryan cowered. "I- I really didn't mean to at all." Zeke stood in front of the two boys looking from one to the other. A couple of moments later Troy stopped rubbing his jaw and looked at Ryan. He was overcome with a wave of guilt upon looking at Ryan's upset face.

"Ryan, don't feel too bad. I'll be fine," He rubbed his jaw a bit more. "But were you seriously going to hit each other?"

Zeke and Ryan both looked down in disappointment. "Troy, I'm sorry I punched you. And Zeke, I'm sorry I was _going_ to punch you. It's just... Shar called me _two days ago_ crying about her last boyfriend. I just don't think I'm ready for that all over again."

"First off," Zeke snapped hotly. "_You _don't have to be ready for it. It's Sharpay's decision. Second," Zeke paused and his expression softened, looking at the worried Ryan. "How do you know it'll happen all over again? You haven't even given me a chance yet."

...Troy...

"You guys go get the food ready," Troy shouted over his shoulder as he walked towards his bedroom. "I'll be right in."

Ryan and Zeke scurried into the kitchen while Troy slid open his closet door. He stepped inside and shut the door slowly, trying to avoid making the click go through the empty hallway. He ambled over to the closet and pulled open the door. Standing on his tiptoes, he reached into the back of the tallest shelf and pulled a brown and orange box down. He popped the lid off, looked over his shoulder nervously, and put his hand inside the worn out Nike Shox.

Troy sighed as he pulled a small orange bottle out of the toe of the left shoe. He lowered the bottle and stared at the wall ahead of him, dismally asking himself why he kept this a secret; why he_ tried_ to keep it a secret. He blinked, snapping himself out of what would probably be a long reverie, only to be pulled into one that would last long time, one that he always shuddered to think about...

But yet again, he was snapped out of his thoughts and pulled back into the present by a knock on his door followed by Ryan's voice. "Hey, Troy! What's taking so long? Are you coming or what?"

"Yeah, Ryan. I'll be right there," Troy replied with a sigh. He waited until he heard Ryan's footsteps fade and twisted open the cap of the bottle, dumping two small pills into his open palm. He twisted the cap shut and shoved it the bottle back into the shoe, dumping the box in the back of the closet. He shut his door and made his way down the hall.

...Troy...

The rest of the night went by more smoothly. Ryan and Zeke were on the couch, watching some sports game on the television while Troy rummaged through the fridge for some food. He grabbed out two cans of Coke and one can of Sprite and brought them in the living room, plopping the cans on the table with a clink of metal on wood.

Troy was settled rather uncomfortably in between Zeke and the couch arm. He could fell the color from the pills bleeding onto his hands from his body heat closing around them. He had meant to take his drink in the kitchen, but with his task from Zeke and Ryan to grab the drinks, he had forgotten; Zeke and Ryan hated to be kept waiting.

Troy fake yawned and popped both pills slyly into his mouth. He had a very strong urge to cough but stifled it as he reached out to grab his drink. He took a guzzle and swallowed, feeling a hard lump slide slowly down his throat as the pills made their way down. Zeke gave him a confused look, noticing Troy's hard swallow.

"What was that?" He asked, quizzically. Troy made a bewildered face, hoping his acting would pull through for him.

"Whare are you talking about?" Troy asked him, grabbing the remote from the coffee table. Zeke shook his head and stared at Troy's orange hand.

"What's on your palm?" He asked, flipping over Troy's hand and staring at it. Troy awkwardly cleared his throat and pulled his hand back, stuffing it in his pocket.

"Cheeto cheese?" He said, making it sound more like a question than an answer. Zeke huffed and decided not to fight Troy anymore, staring at the screen. Ryan grinned at Troy for silencing Zeke but his grin quickly faded, as did Zeke's as Troy pulled something out from behind his back.

"No, Troy!" Zeke said desperately. "Please, no!"

"Guys, I have to do this!" Troy said. "It's for your own good."

"Please don't do this to us!" Ryan begged. "We're your best friends."

"That's why I have to do this," Troy said.

Twenty minutes later found all three boys sitting on the couch, eating popcorn, drinking soda, and watching The Notebook. Zeke sniffled and Ryan wiped his eyes. Troy let the tears roll down his face freely.

Two hours later the credits rolled and Ryan screamed through his sobs, "How could you do that to us? Your best friends!"

"We didn't even want to watch it in the first place," Zeke moaned, running a tissue over his nose. Troy gave a watery chuckle and wiped some tears off his cheeks. He turned off the television and the room was silent except for all of the sniffling.

"Number one," Troy began. "It will give you something to talk about on a date. Number two, I just _really _like that movie."

Ryan and Zeke looked at Troy as if he had just levitated six feet off the ground. "You _like _that movie?" Zeke asked, outraged. "But it was so damn _sad_!"

"Why didn't Noah just _tell _Allie who he was?" Ryan sniffled. "It would've just made it so easy!"

"Love isn't always easy," Troy pointed out. He was interrupted by a knock on the door. Troy glanced at the clock. It was almost one in the morning. Chad had a key so there's no way he would knock. Besides, the door was unlocked. He wouldn't even _need _the key. Troy walked to the door turned sideways so he could hear the other side better and asked, "Hello? Who is it?"

"Hi," A woman's voice said, a voice that sent pangs of remembrance through Troy's mind. "My friend went on a date and said she'd be back by eleven. She gave me this address if she wasn't back yet. I just wanted to know if she was here."

Troy swung the door open wide. To his utter disbelief, a woman was standing on the other side. One with brown hair, brown eyes, and a petite frame that he used to hold in his arms all the time when he was younger. The same brown hair that he would run his hands through, the same brown eyes he would stare into for hours.

The same Gabriella Montez that he had fallen in love with many years ago.

**Author's Note: Sorry the update took so long! We've finally got it up, though! Please, review with your thoughts!**


	3. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Oh gosh, it's been MONTHS. But, our update is FINALLY here. **

**Chapter Two**

"So, what have you done since high school?" Taylor asked, trying to puncture the silence between she and Chad. For the past ten minutes the only noises had been the clinking or glass and silverware amongst the chatter of the others in the restaurant. Chad cleared his throat and wiped his mouth on his cloth napkin before awkwardly starting.

"I went to college, obviously," He started nervously. Taylor laughed and urged him on. "Um, I dated a girl." He looked at Taylor's sad face and instead of frowning he smiled and put his hand on hers. She looked up at him. "And I broke up with her because it didn't feel right without you." Taylor smiled and cleared her throat, pulling her hand out from under Chad's.

"So, are you still playing basketball?" She asked, taking a sip of her water, holding the cup delicately. Chad smiled, knowing that Taylor felt odd holding glass cups, as if if she squeezed too hard, it would shatter in her hands.

"Yeah, Troy and I made it on the team," Chad said, he swallowed his bite and looked at Taylor. "I thought you would know that? We go to the same college."

"I know," Taylor said. "I just like listening to you ramble about basketball. It reminds me of high school." Chad beamed, his smile radiating through the restaurant. Taylor's face reddened, embarrassed at her revelation to Chad. Chad, now feeling like old times, opened up completely to Taylor. For the rest of the night, there wasn't one silence between the two. But Chad couldn't help but to think...

_Boy, is it good to have Taylor back._

_--_

Back at the apartment, Troy was standing at the doorway staring at Gabriella with his mouth half open. Gabriella, feeling more and more awkward by the second, avoided looking Troy in the eye and said, "Do you mind if I come in?"

Troy tried to say 'yes' but his mouth had gone dry and he couldn't get the words out. Instead, he nodded his head and Gabriella entered the apartment.

"Hey, Troy! Who's at the door? What's taking so long?" Zeke yelled down the hall as he and Ryan walked towards Troy. "Gabi!" The two boys cried as the walked towards her with arms wide open. After exchanging hellos and hugs, Ryan asked, "When did you get in? We weren't expecting you until next week!"

Gabriella smiled at her friends, glad to be back home. "Well, I decided to surprise everyone. Taylor knew of course. She gave me you guys' address in case she wasn't home from her date yet. Who'd she go out with?"

"We'll have to catch you up on _everything_, Gabs!" Zeke said with a wide smile and a laugh, completely ignoring Gabriella's question. "Let's stop standing in the doorway and go have a seat in the living room." Ryan and Zeke descended down the hallway, back into the living room. Troy was still standing with his hand on the closed door, his eyes wide with shock and disbelief. Gabriella tried getting around Troy, but when she moved left, he moved left and when she moved right he moved right. Troy set his hand on Gabriella's shoulder, feeling a tingle on his hand, and let her pass around him.

"Thanks, Troy," Gabriella mumbled as she followed the path that Zeke and Ryan had walked just moments ago. Troy stared at her retreating figure until he couldn't see her any longer, thoughts racing through his head. He couldn't believe that the only girl he had ever loved, the girl whose heart he broke, was in his apartment now. He hadn't known that Gabriella was coming back at all, and now she was here. Troy stood awkwardly in the front hall for a couple more minutes, mulling over his thoughts, before heading to the living room where Ryan, Zeke and Gabriella sat, reminiscing and catching up.

"Do you remember Chad and Taylor's first date ever?" Zeke questioned with a laugh as Troy entered the room. Troy quickly took a seat next to Zeke, as far away from Gabriella as possible. Gabriella and Ryan laughed happily while nodding their heads and Troy tried to force a laugh. Gabriella caught Troy's eye and quickly looked away, feeling herself blush.

"Or you and Sharpay's first date?" Ryan pointed at Zeke, receiving another round of laughs. Zeke nodded and wiped tears of mirth off of his face. "It was the weirdest date I have ever been on," He said. "She made me go to the spa and get a pedicure. The smell of cherries didn't leave my feet for a week!"

"Well, nobody can forget Ryan and Kelsi's first date," Gabriella said in a sing-song voice as a blush crept onto Ryan's cheeks.

"Don't remind me. Poor Kelsi, it was a disaster," He groaned. "Almost as disastrous as when Troy was trying to ask you out Gabriella." Almost instantly, Ryan knew he said the wrong thing. Troy's face flushed and he stood up, his chair scraping noisily against the ground. He cleared his throat.

"I need to use the restroom."

He disappeared out of the room, leaving an equally embarrassed Gabriella behind him. He traveled and slipped into the bathroom. He put his back against the door and slid down its wood, exhaling noisily. He ran his tired hands through his hair and looked at the medicine cabinet which loomed above him threateningly. Troy's mind flew to his medicine hidden in his bedroom and then to the time where the medicine had been discovered by someone other than himself...

_Everyone laughed together as they shared moments from their past that they had almost forgotten about. Whenever Chad opened his mouth, Troy couldn't help but to groan hoping that Chad hadn't remembered another embarrassing memory. Troy's laughing stopped as he felt a pang of pain shoot through his head. He stood up and announced that he needed to go to the bathroom. He walked up the steps and ran into his room. He began digging through his sock drawer, listening to the little orange bottle rattle inside._

_Once Troy grasped the bottle, he popped open the lid and dumped two orange pills onto his palm. He stared at them, mentally smacking himself for forgetting something to drink. Just then, the door slid open and Kelsi stood in the doorway. _

_"Oh gosh," She said. "I thought this was the guest bathroom! I'm..." She trailed off, staring at the pills in Troy's hand. "What are those?"_

_Troy tried to hide the pills, but it was too late because Kelsi had seen them. "I...they..." Troy stuttered. "It's nothing. They're nothing."_

_"Troy, what's going on?" Kelsi asked, her tone filled with worry. She took a couple of steps closer to him. "Troy, if anything is wrong you can tell me. We've been friends for years." Troy looked up into Kelsi's eyes, his own filled with fear. _

_"I...it's complicated," He started. _

_"I've got time, Troy," Kelsi reminded him and urged him on. Troy sighed and shook his head sadly, turning away from his tiny friend. "It doesn't matter. It's nothing big."_

_"Well, if it's nothing big, why don't you tell me?" Kelsi asked. Troy looked up and Kelsi rushed over to the bed as she watched tears drip down his cheeks. She wrapped her tiny arms around his frame as his shoulders shook and he began to speak, wiping tears off his face with the back of his hand._

_"Do you really want to know?" Troy asked to his small friend. _

_Kelsi looked deep into Troy's eyes and sighed. "If you're willing to tell me."_

_Troy took a deep breath and began, "Well..."_

A knock on the door brought Troy back to the present and Zeke's voice came through the door. "Troy? I need to get in there, can you hurry up?" Troy stood up, hastily smoothing the front of his shirt. He unlocked the door and swung it open, revealing an impatient Zeke on the other side. "You okay, man? You look a little... pale."

"No, I-I'm all right," Troy said, running a hand through his hair. "I'm good." They sat in an awkward silence and suddenly, Zeke walked into the bathroom and locked the door behind him. Troy was confused. "Um, Zeke... I'm still in here."

"No kidding?" Zeke asked sarcastically. "Sit down."

"Sit-?"

"Just sit!"

Troy, a bit scared and extremely perplexed, sat cross-legged on the floor, not knowing where else to go. Zeke sighed and looked at Troy. Very suddenly, he started laughing. Troy, stilled confused and scared, asked, "What?"

"You just look like an idiot. That's all," Zeke answered. Troy found himself laughing in spite of the fact it was he who was getting laughed at.

"Thanks Zeke," Troy laughed once more. "So, why are we just sitting in here again?"

"Dude, I know things are awkward with you and Gabi, but can you two be at least _act_ like friends? We've all missed her and we don't want it to be awkward all summer," Zeke said pointedly.

"All summer?!" Troy spat out, his palms starting to feel itchy. "Nobody said she was staying _that _long. Why didn't anybody tell me?" He added with a groan, smacking himself on the head.

"Troy, why is that so bad?" Zeke asked to his pained looking friend. They sat in silence for a moment before Zeke spoke again. "Better question, why did you two break up in the first place? Neither of you ever said anything about it." Zeke was now gazing strongly at his friend on the floor.

Troy coughed awkwardly and stood up, wiping his palms on his jeans. "I'm gonna go, you know, back to the living room. People are going to get the wrong idea about us sitting in a bathroom together, Zeke," Troy laughed, quickly changing the topic.

"Troy, come on! Just tell-!" Zeke started, but stopped once Troy shut the door with a swing.

**Author's Note: Well, there it is! Hope you enjoyed it. Sorry it's short and took forever to get posted, but we've had busy lives. We'll start writing more soon! Revi****ew? **


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